Wednesday, July 31, 2013

One By One

I'm saying good-bye one by one these days. It feels very, very imminent. Today is Wednesday. The packers come on Saturday and the moving van on Monday.

I've declined an offer of a going away party - I didn't want to worry about who to invite and how the various facets of my life would mix with each other.

Instead, I say good-bye one at a time to friends when I see them. To most friends anyway - it doesn't feel as final to the ones I rarely see and primarily know through the Internet and Facebook, so I don't feel the same pressing need to say good-bye to them.

But to the ones I see monthly or weekly, I try to steal a quiet moment. I touch their hand and look them in the eye and say lovely things to them, sincere things that I mean with all my heart but that I probably wouldn't say if I wasn't leaving.

"Thank you for being my friend."

"I'm glad we've raised our children together."

"You've impacted my life by ____________."

"Remember that time ________________."

"I love how you __________________."

and the most poignant for me ...

"I can't imagine mothering my children without you there. I've never known anything else."

It feels wonderful, absolutely wonderful to look at these amazing women and tell these truths to them. I wish I hadn't waited this long.

My friend. I look forward to the next time our children can play and we can share a bottle of proseco. You have been such a brick in my foundation over the past 7.5 years. I wish you light, love, and peace my friend.

Beautiful! What a gift to you and to them! I am sort of grateful to be in the category of someone who you don't see often IRL because I'm very confident that we'll continue our on-line friendship! Sending lots of prayers and good wishes!!!